Giving hope to elders

No fewer than 200 senior citizens, mostly retirees, defied the early morning rain last Friday to converge on Shitta Community Ground in Surulere, Lagos Mainland. For the elders, it was a moment to smile.

The gathering was in commemoration of this year’s World Health Day for the Elderly organised by the MEE Mofe-Damijo founded by Sunshine Foundation.

The event, with the theme: The Essence of health in ageing gracefully, featured health talk and free all-round medical check-up for the participants. The senior citizens were attended to by medical experts led Dr. Doyin Ogunyemi. They were also given small packs of provisions apart from refreshment.

Since the founder passed on 17 years ago, the foundation led by Mrs. Rose Odiete has been visiting, hosting and caring for the elderlys at various times and occasions at the old peoples home in Mushin and Yaba in Lagos, and Ota in Ogun State.

Mr Baldwin Oniru, a retiree of Mobil Nigeria, who spoke on the importance of balanced diet and effective stress management, said the benefits of eating balanced natural food that is freshly cooked and not kept in freezer for days. He advised participants to avoid fastfood, floury and sugary products as much they can. He sai smiling like an innocent child, listening to music, dancing and being humorous are of great value to good health.

He urged the elders not to ignore praying regularly because asde making them stay closer to their Creator, it keeps them from thinking negatively.

A seasoned scholar, Chief Dr. Ibwowarri James, spoke on the need to educate the youth on why they should not abuse anything. He said moderation was key to ageing gracefully. He also called on parents to maximise the abundance of nature’s favour in their environment.

Mrs. Odiete, hinted that the foundation in collaboration with 1000 Young Leaders Meeting was set to educate the younger ones on how to live a good life and care for the elderly in their families.

Mrs Odiete said apart from caring for the elderly and showing them love, “we desire to create awareness and sensitise people about their situation. Not only those, who are either by omission or commission abandoned by their very own in old people homes, many parents are left to suffer due to negligence or to pay them back for the ills of the past,” she said.

She stressed that culturally and spiritually, it is the children’s responsibility to cater and care for their aged ones. She noted that ‘no matter what some of them must have done deliberately or out of ignorance, they should be forgiven and shown love, which is the best way to get even.

Eighty-year-old Madam Scholar Adejo said: “Many of us here are used to the foundation and we always look forward to their invitation. What they do periodically go a long way in raising our hope. Some of us do not have children who care as much as they do. They are not up to 10 members but are doing great work. We pray for them always as they need encouragement,’

Papa Israel Adekumbi, an 87-year-old retiree of NIPOST, said: “The foundation holds us in high esteem. She is doing great in spite of the fact that the founder is no more. We commend them for the good work.”

Mr. El-Razack Olegbe, a member of the group, said when the foundation began in 1993 in the defunct Classique Magazine, it had over 200 members. “Today, we are only six active and passionate members who have vowed not to let the dream of the founder die,” he recalled.

He used the opportunity to thank Rev. Chris Oketie who over years has been a strong pillar of the foundation. He described the clergy as a true friend.